Mining bribery case: Sabah reps vow to continue serving constituents while clearing their names

KOTA KINABALU: Two elected Sabah representatives facing corruption charges want their day in court to clear their names through the legal process after what they termed “intense humiliation” in the public eye.

Sindumin assemblyman Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob and his Tanjung Batu colleague Andi Muhammad Suryady Bandy said they would continue serving in their constituencies while proving their innocence and restoring their reputations through the legal system.

“As the saying goes, a man is innocent until proven guilty,” Dr Yusof told the media after his court appearance on Monday (June 30).

“Therefore, we do not want this to disrupt (our work), and we remain focused on our duties as elected representatives to serve our constituencies and fulfil our responsibilities.”

He added that although they had been humiliated in the media, they believed in the justice system and would rely on the courts to vindicate them.

“We are confident that the process will be transparent and fair,” he said.

Andi Muhammad Suryady, standing beside Dr Yusof, added: “We will clear our names, and God willing, all will go well.”

They both stressed that serving the people remained their priority during the case.

Asked about his position as state Assistant Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Minister, Andi Muhammad Suryady declined to comment.

“Let’s just wait for the instruction,” he said, without specifying from whom the instruction would come.

Dr Yusof, 69, and Andi Muhammad Suryady, 44, pleaded not guilty when charged separately under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 for accepting bribes at the Special Corruption Court here.

If convicted, they face up to 20 years’ jail and a fine of not less than five times the amount or value of the bribe.

They had allegedly received a total of RM350,000 from businessman Datuk Albert Tei in 2023 in relation to mineral prospecting licences.

Tei was also charged separately under Section 16(b)(A) of the same Act for offering bribes.

Pre-trial case management for all three was fixed for Aug 5.